The Begging For LeBron Thread

[duncan228]

The Clippers are throwing a 'LeBron Parade' (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-Clippers-are-throwing-a-LeBron-Parade-;_ylt=AofdBBd7NXh52EIYvTDMao.8vLYF?urn=nba,241476)
By Trey Kerby
Ball Don't Lie

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nba_experts__53/ept_sports_nba_experts-818557843-1274107742.jpg?ymetuJDDx5M6k_WD

It's not even June yet and the LeBron James free-agent courting extravaganza is already turning into a hilarious game of one-upmanship. The websites (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Inside-the-wacky-world-of-free-agent-recruiting-?urn=nba,240879) were funny enough. Then, Cleveland came out with "Please Stay LeBron (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-Clevelanders-sing-for-LeBron-James?urn=nba,241139)" just to make you have some giggles and it worked. That's a pretty good start for the second week of May, if you ask me.

Not wanting to be outdone, Clippers fans are kicking things up a notch — BAM! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvazQUYG1kE) — they're taking this free agency thing into the real world (http://cbs2.com/sports/CLIPPERS.LEBRON.JAMES.2.1697636.html).


Fans of the Clippers have planned a march around Staples Center at 6 p.m. ET on May 27 at L.A. Live to "Bring Lebron to the L.A. Clippers."

Lebron James in an unrestricted free agent and the Clippers are one of the teams that has room under the NBA salary cap to sign the superstar.

As I'm sure you can guess, the parade is the mind-baby of Clipper Darrell (http://twitter.com/clipperdarrell/status/14116935623), who is literally the world's biggest Clippers fan. And if the idea of a Clippers parade for LeBron James isn't enough to make you smile, perhaps the fact that it's being scheduled to take place at the Staples Center on the day of a possible Game 5 between the Lakers and Suns will do the trick, because that seems like a recipe for disaster.

Some Clippers fans on the Internet agree. For instance, "El_Nino_Jesus (http://clippers.topbuzz.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&p=95972&sid=5ee9aa2f5601f8d07216cfb2e85adfeb#95972)":


[...] I DO however picture Laker fans laughing at us and teasing us, ya know they would

Yep, that'd happen. Of course, laughing and teasing aren't nearly as bad as what "MrHill" is worried about (http://clippers.topbuzz.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-p-96042.html#96042):


One thing I strongly suggest (and I'm not advocating any violence what so ever)...bring protection! We all know that many Laker fans aren't the brightest, and you know some of them will be looking for trouble.

I don't know about you, but I am now very excited for May 27 to see what all goes down. At the very least, I'm hoping for some pictures that look straight out of a Michael Jackson video.

I'm not sure where you go after a parade, though. Surely someone will get one of those planes with a banner behind it to fly over LeBron's house, but other than that I'm stumped. Maybe a really nice PowerPoint presentation or something.

(h/t Arash Markazi (http://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi/status/14124029438))

[Giuseppe]

Stern would never permit it. He ain't wasting LeBron & Kobe in the same city, same arena. No way.

[D-Wade #3]

:lmao I don't know who's worse, NY strip clubs offering LeBron free lapdances for life, or Clipper fans

[DPG21920]

Better than the Bron Bron song.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nba_experts__53/ept_sports_nba_experts-818557843-1274107742.jpg?ymetuJDDx5M6k_WD

lol, the best thing about Suns Clippers games is Clipper Darrell.

[poop]

oh brother, hes not going to lead any team to a title that doesnt already have other superstars/leaders.

and the Clippers are cursed and a team that good players go to die.

combine these things and LEbron going to the Clippers would result in a serious injury and/or no more than one playoff round

[MiamiHeat]

the Clippers need to change their name and their team colors.

they fucking suck. get rid of the curse.

change the logo and the name.

[poop]

the Clippers need to change their name and their team colors.

they fucking suck. get rid of the curse.

change the logo and the name.

and move to a city that will appreciate them

[dallasmavsnfuego214]

Lebron+healthy Blake Griffin+motivated BDiddy would be must see TV

[duncan228]

Cleveland fans to LeBron: please, PLEASE stay (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebron-pleasestay)
By Thomas J. Sheeran

They’re saying it on billboards, in song, in letters, in petitions and more.

Whatever the format, the message from Clevelanders is the same: Dear LeBron James, please don’t go. Please please please don’t go.

This hard-luck city on the shores of Lake Erie is desperately trying to show its NBA superstar that, with free agency looming July 1, the best spot for him is right up the road from his hometown of Akron, Ohio, the place where he’s played for seven seasons as a Cleveland Cavalier and won two MVP awards.

And in the wake of a baffling early exit from the playoffs—a six-game series loss to the Boston Celtics—the grass roots campaign has taken on not just a new urgency but the sense of a last chance. Without James, after all, the chances of Cleveland breaking its 46-year titleless streak in major pro sports don’t seem too good.

“He’s a hometown guy. We definitely want to put that on his conscience,” said 23-year-old Austin Briggs, of Cleveland Heights, co-founder of the Web site pleasedontleave23.com.

Want to join the band wagon? You can sign a “Stay LeBron” petition right on the hood of Brigg’s souped-up 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, dubbed the “Witness Mobile.”

Even before the playoffs, fans had helped fund a banner near the home of the Cavs, showing James through his life with the words “Born Here. Raised Here. Plays Here. Stays Here.”

But if Clevelanders think showing a little civic pride will be enough to romance LeBron, they better think again.

Other cities are trying to woo him, too.

In New York City, The Daily News has launched www.getlebron.com and even Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a case for James to move—to the Knicks or the Nets.

“I love living in New York, my kids love living in New York,” Bloomberg said last week. “I think LeBron James would love living in New York and it is the world’s greatest stage.”

Bulls fans, meanwhile, have www.sendlebrontochicago.com while long-suffering Los Angeles Clipper fans are planning a parade aimed at showing the MVP some love.

So far, James hasn’t tipped his hand.

“It’s all about winning for me and I think the Cavs are committed to doing that, but at the same time I’ve given myself options to this point,” he said.

The Cavaliers can offer him around $30 million more than any team, but several other clubs can make pitches beginning July 1.

The Cleveland campaign to keep James comes with the backdrop of a shrinking city that hasn’t won a major sports championship since the NFL Browns in 1964.

A witness to the title drought, 74-year-old Ruth Wine, part of the 212-member LeBron James Grandmothers Fan Club, wrote to him after Thursday night’s deciding playoff loss to make a pitch for his hometown.

“That little town truly and deeply loves you, win or lose, for the fine person you are and the kindness you have shown to Akron,” wrote Wine, who herself is from Akron.

She has a clue that he might stay: he returned last year to his alma mater, Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, to accept his MVP award and accepted his second this year at the University of Akron.

“We think he’s not leaving because why would he come back to his high school and then come to the university for his second MVP,” she asked.

Browns Pro Bowl return specialist Josh Cribbs appreciates the undying passion of Cleveland fans. When Cribbs was seeking a new contract last season, fans spoke up and demanded the team pay him for his performance. Their “Pay the Man” movement helped Cribbs get a new deal.

Cribbs knows Cleveland won’t let James leave without a fight.

“The fans are already speaking up,” he said. “This is a motivated city for sports and there are no fans like this anywhere. They are doing whatever they can to keep him.”

Even the highbrow Cleveland Orchestra has pitched in with a keep-LeBron video posted on YouTube.

Another music video, this one to the tune of “We Are the World” and posted on Break.com features local celebrities and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland—he’s running for re-election—in a sing-along. The pitch: “Please stay, LeBron. We really need you. No bigger market’s gonna love you half as much as we do.”

The hometown affection for James might help persuade him to stay, Mike Altomare said between customers at his barber shop down the road from St. Vincent-St. Mary.

“It would make him feel he’s home. You get into these bigger metropolis areas and I don’t think that warmth is going to be there. It’s just going to be basketball and the other stuff is going to go by the wayside,” he said.

At a cubbyhole T-shirt shop next door, the James gear—and increasingly the “Stay LeBron” items—are the retail superstars.

“People just love him. They admire him,” said Sarah Gorring, a manager at Rubber City Clothing.

The T-shirts include a tearful Ohio map with the appeal to “Please Don’t Leave 23,” “Just Stay,” and “Akron Witnessed First,” playing off the trademark theme of fans who are “Witnesses” to James’ stardom.

“They think it’s a really great story of a kid who started out with absolutely nothing,” Gorring said.

The question is whether a town where people, James included, can recite the sports failings like a sacred text—The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, The Move, Jose Mesa’s blown save in the 1997 World Series, etc.—can take another disappointment.

Losing James, one of their own, may trump them all.

“I don’t know if the song is going to do it,” Cribbs said. “We’ve got to all keep signing to get him to stay.”

[Roddy Beaubois]

lol at these desperate fools

[Ghazi]

oh brother, hes not going to lead any team to a title that doesnt already have other superstars/leaders.

and the Clippers are cursed and a team that good players go to die.

combine these things and LEbron going to the Clippers would result in a serious injury and/or no more than one playoff round


Dirk and Kidd yup yup

we STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKED.


the nba landscape will change once lebron comes to dallas

o8Y9-JlSRXw

[Roddy Beaubois]

thats just the way it is

[Ghazi]

its ok nba :cry

JlQcJAjYxaI

[Ghazi]

Breakaway layup? Nope... chasedown by Bron :wow... @ Jerryworld... passes to Kidd... high arching lob to the King for a dunk... bring the fucking house down

gonna be a big :danceclub in Big D

XNtTEibFvlQ

[DisAsTerBot]

lol at these desperate fools

[djohn2oo8]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs500.snc3/27305_222940749989_24431029989_810605_5929937_n.jp g

[mogrovejo]

Haha, great thread title.

[Ashy Larry]

I mean just look at Cleveland.........

it's a real shithole. It's where Pittsburgh, Chicago and Indiana drops off it's garbage and if the state of Indiana is sending it's garbage to your town, you must suck

[TFloss32]

It'll be interesting to see how the LeBron James story develops after the draft lottery tonight. I'm not sure the draft order affects James personally, but prepare for the John Wall/John Calipari/LeBron James to New Jersey talk.

Let me finish by saying that I bet New Jersey doesn't get the #1. They have an incredibly good chance, but a boring team like Minnesota, Sacramento or Washington will probably get it if you're strictly banking on the history of the lottery. It's so odd that the the team with the best statistical chance hardly ever gets the #1.

[Drachen]

the Clippers need to change their name and their team colors.

they fucking suck. get rid of the curse.

change the logo and the name.

Um, to get rid of the curse, they would have to move to Buffalo and name themselves the Braves

[duncan228]

Rivers Refutes LeBron Rumors (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-riversrefuteslebronr)
SportingNews

You didn’t really think we’d get through the NBA conference finals without more LeBron Lunacy, did you?

The latest rumor/innuendo blogosphere reporting—and we’ll use that term loosely, thank you—has Doc Rivers leaving the Celtics after this season to coach LeBron James with the Chicago Bulls.

Rivers still is deciding about his future and could walk away after this season, especially if the Celtics win another NBA championship. Rivers, who lives in Orlando in the offseason (his family lives there full-time), Tuesday emphatically ended at least part of the aforementioned speculation.

"I’m either going to be in Boston or home (in Orlando, out of coaching)," Rivers said.

As for James and Rivers connecting in Chicago, where Rivers grew up?

"That’s just stupid talk," Rivers said. "It’s just ridiculous."


— Matt Hayes

[duncan228]

A king’s ransom might not be enough to keep James (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-jimlitke-051910)
By Jim Litke

Ask not what LeBron can do for your team.

Ask what your team can do for LeBron.

Neither James nor his agents have gone public with any outrageous demands so far, but it’s early and you know what they’re thinking. Small wonder. Every discussion in the NBA these days eventually winds its way back to you-know-who and where he will deign to play next season. It’s gotten so bad that the King should consider wearing a headband full time, if only to limit the swelling.

Shortly before Tuesday night’s draft lottery, even commissioner David Stern weighed in on whether and-or where James’ throne might end up.

“To be perfectly honest, it doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “Our job is to promote him and our league wherever he goes. I think it’s terrific that he has the choice to make, and we’ll be behind him whatever he does.”

Stern did find time to congratulate his league for a compelling postseason so far, and predicted interest would only grow with a “great finals” in the next few weeks, followed by “a really interesting draft” on June 24. But the commissioner left no doubt about what he considered the most important event on the NBA calendar this year.

“Katie bar the door in July” is the way Stern referred to the beginning of free agency on July 1. And if the actual wheeling and dealing turns out to be half as entertaining as the build up has been—“Songs, banners, balloons, blimps, armies, I don’t even know what,” he marveled—Stern would be advised to take his own advice.

“I’m just going to hide in the office,” he said, “and let it all roll out.”

Unfortunately, not everyone will have that option.

“I’m ‘LeBroned out.”’ Charles Barkley told ESPN radio earlier in the day. “OK?

“I am so sick of … you know I love ESPN. but they’re really starting to annoy me. I’m going to have to turn it off for the 40 days. They’ve already got the ‘LeBron free-agent clock’ on. I am seriously sick of talking about LeBron James—every little whim, dissecting everything he says.

“I’m really just sick,” the former and still-round mound of rebound repeated one more time, “of the whole LeBron thing to be honest.”

Nobody wants to see another traveling circus similar to the one Brett Favre rolled out of Green Bay first to New York and then into Minneapolis. It happens much more frequently in big-time club soccer, but there’s only a handful of athletes in the four major North American pro sports leagues whose relocation could cause anywhere near this kind of tumult.

Alex Rodriguez’s move from Texas to New York didn’t, but if Derek Jeter ever decided to leave, he probably could. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in the NFL, certainly; Sidney Crosby and maybe Alex Ovechkin in the NHL, almost. Among James’ NBA brethren, only a renewed threat by Kobe Bryant to depart Los Angeles would come close.

Because of league rules, staying put with the Cavaliers would allow him to pocket an extra $30 million or so more than any other team can pay. There’s also the city’s unquestioned loyalty, something that was demonstrated in a half-goofy, half-sad video made by a group calling itself “Clevelanders for LeBron James.”

In it, a string of low-level government officials, local TV personalities and entertainers on up to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Gov. Ted Strickland pledge their willingness to do almost anything to keep James, all of it set to the tune of “We Are the World.” Similar efforts are already under way in a half-dozen other towns, all of them extolling the benefits of relocating there.

There is a lesson writ large in this episode, but you have to wonder whether James is interested in learning it.

Cleveland might be a small-market team, but so is Indianapolis and it hasn’t hampered Manning’s endorsement value one bit. James already exerts influence over virtually every move the franchise makes, from signing other free agents to deciding who the next coach would be. The only thing the Cavaliers can’t guarantee him is a title, but neither can anyone else.

Then there’s the little matter of what James owes a franchise that has already paid him a king’s ransom in salary and enabled him to make several times that much money on the side. You won’t hear that discussed too often, but anytime you need a reminder, find a photograph of the sign that covers nearly an entire side of the arena in Cleveland.

It was put there by James’ handlers from Nike, and shows him with arms outspread. It reads: “One for all.”

But maybe not for much longer.

[duncan228]

ESPN has the LeBron Tracker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/feature/index?page=LeBron-Tracker), SI.com has the LeBron Watch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/19/may.19/index.html). :lol

Akron mayor makes case for LeBron
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic has no problem making a few enemies if it means keeping LeBron in Ohio. In response to a New York Daily News article that called Akron "The Middle of Nowhere, Ohio," the mayor shot back, ''Who the hell wants to live in New York?'' Of course, he had a similar response the other cities that appear to be in the LeBron Sweepstakes. ''Who the hell would want to live anywhere other than Akron, Ohio?'' Plusquellic responded when posed that question at a news conference Wednesday on unrelated topics. ''He's not a surfer. We've got great golfing and good skiing ... 'He has a commitment to Akron. He loves it and always will.'' (Akron Beacon (http://www.ohio.com/sports/94269419.html))

*********************

Must-See Photo

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-stay.jpg

Austin Briggs turned his '87 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme into a LeBron-mobile. The hood of the car is a petition to keep The King in Cleveland.

*********************

Ex-coach: LeBron's going to Chicago
LeBron James' first NBA coach, Paul Silas, thinks the MVP's days in Cleveland are over, and his best fit would be in Chicago alongside Derrick Rose. "Winning is what's most important to him," said Silas, who coached the Cavs from 2003-05. Ever since I had him for two years that's all he talked about. Because [the Cavs] have not done anything in the last five years, I just think he's given a lot of thought [to leaving]. If he can go somewhere and win the championship ... It's one thing to be called the greatest. The greatest, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, they've won championships. This is what's most important to LeBron." (Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/05/lebron-james-former-coach-thinks-hes-leaving.html))

*********************

Must-See Photo

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-car3.jpg

I'm sorry, but can we go back to Austin Briggs' souped up LeBron-mobile? Check out the hood!

*********************

Best Site Of The Day

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-mavs.jpg

As Jimmy Traina mentioned in yesterday's Hot Clicks (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/extramustard/hotclicks/05/18/lea-michele-glee-to-follow-super-bowl-hanely-ramirez-jogs-after-ball/index.html), LeBronToTheMavs.com (http://lebrontothemavs.com/) may be one of the coolest LeBron sites out there. And he's not joking. Not even a little. They have their own theme song ... of which I secretly want to download on iTunes if it's available.

*********************

Must-See Photo, pt. 3

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-car2.jpg

Just one more view of the LeBron-mobile: the trunk. This thing is truly amazing.

[Roddy Beaubois]

Best Site Of The Day

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-mavs.jpg

As Jimmy Traina mentioned in yesterday's Hot Clicks (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/extramustard/hotclicks/05/18/lea-michele-glee-to-follow-super-bowl-hanely-ramirez-jogs-after-ball/index.html), LeBronToTheMavs.com (http://lebrontothemavs.com/) may be one of the coolest LeBron sites out there. And he's not joking. Not even a little. They have their own theme song ... of which I secretly want to download on iTunes if it's available.



Fuck Yes

[Lars]

Wow this is all sad and pathetic.

[lakaluva's mom]

Wow this is all sad and pathetic.

You just summed up Mavfans

[jag]

Best Site Of The Day

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/lebron-mavs.jpg

As Jimmy Traina mentioned in yesterday's Hot Clicks (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/extramustard/hotclicks/05/18/lea-michele-glee-to-follow-super-bowl-hanely-ramirez-jogs-after-ball/index.html), LeBronToTheMavs.com (http://lebrontothemavs.com/) may be one of the coolest LeBron sites out there. And he's not joking. Not even a little. They have their own theme song ... of which I secretly want to download on iTunes if it's available.

*********************


This is great

[BlackSwordsMan]

ms cleo said lebron is going to the wizards
sorry mav fans

[monosylab1k]

ms cleo said lebron is going to the wizards
sorry mav fans

lame

[duncan228]

LeBron to Mavs? Web-savvy fans trying to help (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-wooinglebron-mavericks)

LeBron James in a Dallas Mavericks uniform? It’s already happening — on the Internet.

Mavs fans are the latest to do their part to woo the NBA superstar to their city by launching the website lebrontothemavs.com. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted a link to the site Thursday, writing: “Gotta love Mavs fans !!”

The home page plays a song and doctored photos include James’ face on a J.R. Ewing picture and him dunking over the Dallas skyline.

The Mavs are a perennial contender with superstars in Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, with whom James won a gold medal in Beijing in 2008. The team could easily free up cap space for a sign-and-trade deal with the Cavaliers, who, if forced into a deal, would prefer sending the marquee free agent to the Western Conference. James also is a big Cowboys fan.

[Roddy Beaubois]

fuck yes

[duncan228]

Bits fom SI.com's Lebron Watch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/21/lebron.watch.may.21/index.html).

Secret reason why LeBron will stay
Esquire's Scott Raab is honest -- "I have absolutely no clue what happened to LeBron in the Celtics series or where he'll be playing next year" -- but he also may be on to something. After Buzz Bissinger wrote in The New York Times that LeBron may be afraid to leave Ohio (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/20/may.20/index.html), Raab, who has been around the Cavs since last June while working on a book, is convinced The King will stay in Cleveland (http://www.esquire.com/the-side/lebron-james/lebron-james-knicks-052110#ixzz0oaLC3fyn) if only to protect his family. More specifically, his mother. "His number-one goal in life is not an NBA championship," Raab said. "It's to protect her, and to protect himself. And I see no way for him to do that if he moves to New York City."

*********************

Ex-NFL'er: Blame public if LBJ leaves
Jim Brown thinks the way the public has treated LeBron after his playoff meltdown (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/05/20/jim-brown-treatment-of-lebron-will-force-him-to-leave/) is "an atrocity" and it will be the reason The King decides to Cleveland this summer. "You know, it's so unfortunate that a man that's got so much would feel so bad right now because of what he couldn't do. I think [LeBron's] being treated unfairly," the former Cleveland Browns star told a Baltimore radio station. "I think the expectations were too high, and I don't think he's gonna stay in Cleveland because of it. I think as one man, there's only so much you can do, and for people to analyze you and to basically say humiliating things about you, when you've given all those things through the years to that franchise, I think it's an atrocity."

*********************

Knicks already cashing in on LeBron
Perhaps Knicks fans know something we don't. It's be less than a week since James' season officially ended, and though he has yet to give any indication of his plans, the Knicks have started to cash in (http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/garden_sees_rise_in_season_ticket_kIbeXmZ2a4bNgRH8 JmiVNM) on his possible move to New York. According to a Madison Square Garden official, the team has sold 500 new season-ticket plans for next season, bringing its total to 2,900. Nothing like a little speculation to get fans pumped for next season.

[siraulo23]

"we are lebron"
http://www.break.com/index/we-are-lebron-video.html
:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[redzero]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs500.snc3/27305_222940749989_24431029989_810605_5929937_n.jp g

Pathetic and desperate.

[Agloco]

Akron mayor makes case for LeBron
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic ............ ''Who the hell would want to live anywhere other than Akron, Ohio?'' Plusquellic responded when posed that question at a news conference Wednesday on unrelated topics. ''He's not a surfer. We've got great golfing and good skiing ...



Just "good" skiing? :lmao

That after he asks who would want to live anywhere else......dunno. Can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. :rolleyes

Douchebaggery like that will all but ensure a hasty departure on Brons part.

[The TroutBum]

Dear LeDouche,

Please, for the love of ALL of the Gods, don't come to Utah.

Signed,

Jazz Fans.



p.s. we're all racist and HATE black people with tats.

[Bukefal]

Unbelievable how people go crazy. This is sad, really sad. :wow

That Cleveland is begging him to stay, I can somewhat imagine that, but it's still over the top. But the rest?

[mogrovejo]

Just "good" skiing? :lmao

That after he asks who would want to live anywhere else......dunno. Can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. :rolleyes

Douchebaggery like that will all but ensure a hasty departure on Brons part.

Yeps, that's going to be the overriding factor in LeBron's decision: the self-deprecating jokes from Akron's mayor.

[Basketballgirl25]

how long till July 1st? Can't wait for all the talk to be over and fans to quit begging him to come

[duncan228]

The 'Witness Mobile' got a makeover (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-Witness-Mobile-got-a-makeover;_ylt=ApgaxnZbdxbmv3ZrpJsndee8vLYF?urn=nba ,242825)
By Trey Kerby
Ball Don't Lie

To paraphrase Kevin Costner, "If you paint it, he might stay." At least that's what our old friend A. Gully (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Witness-Cleveland-rapper-s-Witnessmobile-?urn=nba,160987) is hoping.

Just 12 short months after customizing his '87 Cutlass "Witness Mobile" to honor LeBron James' first MVP, the Cleveland rapper (http://www.myspace.com/hatsoffent) finds himself in danger of losing his city's most-famous basketball player. If you know anything about the customized-car-as-a-promotional-item business, you'll know that means it's time for a paint change. Have a look.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nba_experts__53/ept_sports_nba_experts-133275840-1274449986.jpg?ymCRCLDDZ8lUm6x6

It's a little hard to tell from the picture, but the car is designed as a moving petition for LBJ to stay in Cleveland, complete with signature lines that people actually sign. Thankfully, there is a promotional video set to a LeBron James-afied version of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" to clear things up. Yes, really.

lkXRc9vls0M

Somehow, this entire "Witness Mobile" is tied into Please Don't Leave 23 (http://pleasedontleave23.com/home), another in the long line of kind of hilarious free-agent recruiting websites (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Inside-the-wacky-world-of-free-agent-recruiting-?urn=nba,240879). PDL23 was started as a part of an entrepreneurship course at Kent State University, and its founders say (http://pleasedontleave23.com/aboutus) that they "believe that there is no single person in Ohio right now that generates more revenue and creates more jobs than LeBron James." Works for me — they're the entrepreneurship students, I'm just a blogger who thinks "entrepreneurship" is a tough word to spell.

While it might seem excessive to repaint a car just a year after tricking it out in the first place, you have to keep in mind another famous saying: "Life moves fast. If you don't stop and customize automobiles for your favorite athletes, you just might miss it." Sound advice.


(h/t Skeets (http://twitter.com/jeskeets/statuses/14324040020))

[SourCandy]

Can lebron go where he wants? Like even if it is not the best offer money or team wise? Or is it agent talk?

[Killakobe81]

LOL Poor cavs fans

[duncan228]

Obama: If LeBron is looking, Bulls have good core (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-obama-lebron)

If LeBron James isn’t sure he can win in Cleveland, President Barack Obama thinks there’s an opportunity with his hometown Chicago Bulls.

“You know, like I said, I don’t want to meddle,” Obama told TNT. “I will say this: (Derrick) Rose, Joakim Noah it’s a pretty good core. You know, you could see LeBron fitting in pretty well there.”

Obama was interviewed about a number of basketball subjects by broadcaster Marv Albert on the White House basketball court. The interview will be shown Tuesday night at 8 p.m. EDT.

James can become a free agent this summer, and his decision whether to leave the Cavaliers is one of the hottest topics in sports. Though he’s never said he wants out of his native Ohio, there’s speculation he’d consider it after the Cavaliers were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round by the Boston Celtics.

“I think that the most important thing for LeBron right now is actually to find a structure where he’s got a coach that he respects and is working hard with teammates who care about him and if that’s in Cleveland, then he should stay in Cleveland,” Obama said. “If he doesn’t feel like he can get it there, then someplace else.”

Obama compared James’ situation to the Bulls not winning until Michael Jordan had confidence in Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen and the rest of his teammates. Once that happened, Chicago won six NBA championships in the 1990s.

“It wasn’t until you got that framework around you that you could be a champion,” Obama said. “Same thing happened with Kobe (Bryant). You know, I think that, first with Shaq (O’Neal) then later with (Pau) Gasol, you know, he’s gotten that sense of a team around him and I think LeBron hasn’t quite been able to get that yet. That’s what he needs to find.”

[jag]

James is a HUGE Cowboys and Knicks fan from Akron. rofl

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

James is a HUGE Cowboys and Knicks fan from Akron. rofl


I think you mean Cowboys and Yankees. He's just the black bandwagoner he's supposed to be, no surprises here.

[DJ Mbenga]

fuck yes

son, you are the first to go if lebron is available for a sign and trade

[duncan228]

Patrick Ewing: Best Bet Is LeBron Stays Home (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-patrickewingbestbeti)
SportingNews

Orlando assistant coach Patrick Ewing has to be careful what he says about LeBron James, the Cavaliers’ super free agent. As a representative of the Magic, he could face a fine, according to the New York Daily News.

So when asked where he thinks James could land this offseason, he has a standard answer: Cleveland. Ewing told the Daily News that Cleveland has a distinct advantage because it can pay him more than anyone else.

“The league designed it that way,” Ewing told the Daily News. “If you stay you can make $30 million more. And if you already have a good team, why leave?”

In the meantime, Ewing still wants to be a head coach in the NBA after being an assistant for seven years.

“I’m hoping,” Ewing told the Daily News. “With all these jobs that are available, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully, I can get my foot in the door.”

Ewing is yet to have an interview to be head coach and hired coaching agent Lonnie Cooper to help him, the Daily News reported.

“I hear of some of the other names being mentioned, and they are all good candidates, but some of them haven’t been doing it for as long as Patrick and their teams haven’t been as successful as us. I wish I knew the reason,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told the Daily News.

[duncan228]

From SI.com's LeBron Watch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/25/lebron.watch.may25/index.html).

Biggest Player In LeBron Sweepstakes (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/25/lebron.watch.may25/index.html)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_images/jayz-lebron.jpg

LeBron's relationship with rapper/music mogul Jay-Z is well-known. But according to Sonny Vaccaro (the sneaker king who founded the now-defunct Adidas ABCD camp and has known LeBron since he was a ninth-grader), Jay-Z could have the biggest influence (http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/190010-jay-z-may-have-sway-in-lebrons-new-york-tale) on LeBron's free agency decision. In fact, his influence may even trump that of LeBron's childhood friend/business manager, Maverick Carter, NBA matchmaker and confidant William "Worldwide" Wesley and agent Leon Rose. Plus, Jay-Z is part-owner of the Nets ... and he's married to Beyonce. (I just added the last one because I like the song "Sweet Dreams.")

*********************

Barkley's Guarantee

Sorry Mark Cuban, but Charles Barkley "guarantees" LeBron will not go to Dallas (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/052410dnspobarkleylebron.323408e1.html). The Round Mound of Rebound told a Dallas radio station Monday that for the Mavs to acquire King James, it would have to come in a sing-and-trade deal (as Cuban has previously suggested), and that if that happens, the team wouldn't have enough left to win a title. "If they do a sign-and-trade, they have to get rid of their old team and keep Dirk Nowitzki. And him and Dirk alone wouldn't be enough to win the championship," said Barkley. He narrowed LeBron's likely destinations to Cleveland, New York and Chicago, with winning being the motivating factor in the decision.

[Ghazi]

Barkley's wrong.

Mavs with LeBron would/will be flirting with 75 win ecstasy

2 stars (Dirk/Bron) + great role players (Kidd/Marion/Haywood) = :lobt:

[duncan228]

Clippers fans march in LA streets for LeBron (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-clippers-lebronmarch)

A band of Los Angeles Clippers fans has taken to the streets outside Staples Center to show love for LeBron James.

At least 75 Clippers fans in red-and-blue gear waved signs and chanted slogans as they marched up and down Chick Hearn Court on Thursday night in the hours before Game 5 of the Western Conference finals between the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

With signs displaying the No. 6, which will be James’ uniform number next year, the fans chanted “We want the King!” and “L-B-J!”

Although the Clippers are a longshot in the LeBron sweepstakes after 17 losing seasons in the last 18 years, they’re among a handful of NBA teams with a combination of salary cap room, a solid supporting cast and a major media market to entice James. The two-time league MVP is eligible for free agency July 1.

The march was organized through Facebook by Darrell Bailey, the self-proclaimed “Clipper Darrell” who taunts opposing teams with clever comments from the lower bowl at Staples Center. Wearing a suit with one blue leg and one red leg, Clipper Darrell marched in front of the pack, shouting through a megaphone.

“LeBron versus Kobe, four times a year!” Clipper Darrell yelled to cheers from his fellow fans.

Most Lakers fans streaming into Staples Center paid little attention to the march, although a few mumbled about disrespect from Los Angeles’ perpetual second-banana franchise.

Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin are expected to be back next season with the Clippers, who haven’t hired a coach after the midseason dismissal of Mike Dunleavy, the winningest coach in the franchise’s sorry history. Interim coach Kim Hughes is among the candidates for the full-time job, and is still working at the Clippers’ training complex in Playa Vista.

[vander]

I think he should stay put, but if he goes, I hope it's to NJ, along with another star like Bosh or something, that team would be sick. they'd go 75-7 in the regular season and then lose to Orlando in the playoffs.

[pauls931]

barring myself, everyone who has replied to this thread will be fined $1,000 USD by the NBA.

[duncan228]

Akron planning day to honor LeBron James (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebronday)

LeBron James, Akron’s greatest export this side of rubber tires, is being honored with an event in his hometown.

The NBA’s two-time MVP will be recognized on June 19 at “LeBron Appreciation Day” in the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium. The celebration is aimed at convincing James to re-sign with the Cavaliers in July, when he is eligible to become a free agent.

Akron community and civic leaders, including Mayor Don Plusquellic, are scheduled to participate in the free event for James with a goal “to bring together as many people as possible to send a unified message of support to our hometown hero LeBron James.”

It is not yet known if James will attend.

The 25-year-old James will hold his annual bike-a-thon in Akron in August.

[Mixability]

Jesus fucking Christ, it's just basketball.

[duncan228]

Updated.

LeBron mum on future at appearance in Cleveland (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebronbackhome)
By Tom Withers

Fresh from a postseason vacation, LeBron James was back among Cleveland fans for the first time since the Cavaliers’ playoff flop.

The reunion was somewhat awkward.

James, whose impending free agency could change the course of several NBA franchises, was a guest judge at an amateur dunk contest that drew a large crowd because of the two-time MVP’s appearance, his first public outing since the Cavs lost in the second round to the Boston Celtics.

Wearing a blue “Witness” T-shirt and designer sunglasses, James had little interaction with fans after arriving in a four-car motorcade and being escorted by police and security personnel through the crowd to a basketball court set up on the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

Some in the crowd seemed uncertain how to act around James, perhaps fearing the wrong comment could drive him away for good.

James ducked under a tent and slid into a folding chair next to former NBA player Darryl Dawkins to judge the final round of dunks as fans and several star-stuck competitors snapped photos with their cell phones of one of the world’s best players and Cleveland’s most revered pro athlete in generations.

As he sat at a table and held up scores, some Cleveland fans pleaded with him to re-sign with the Cavs.

“Don’t leave, LeBron!” one yelled.

“Please, please don’t go!” offered another.

James, who is eligible for free agency on July 1, smiled nervously as one of the dunkers missed several attempts and he politely applauded when the runner-up finally got a two-handed reverse down. After the event sponsored by Sprite, one of James’ corporate business partners, he posed for a group photo with all the dunkers and signed a giant check for the winner.

James did not speak with reporters as he excited and offered no hints about his future, adding more suspense to a story already spinning off rumors and guesses about his plans.

Maverick Carter, James’ manager and business partner, said “there’s nothing to say right now” when asked for details about James’ next move.

Before James arrived—about 45 minutes after promised—fans waited patiently on a grassy hill overlooking the hoop court. One of them, Audrey Staton, was convinced it would be one of her last chances to see James, who will be courted by the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and other teams.

“He’s going,” Staton said, keeping one eye on her 7-year-old son, Aaron, playing nearby. “We can’t keep him in Cleveland because we’re a dying city. There isn’t enough hoopla for him here right now. He’s young and he wants the excitement.”

Dawkins, who jumped from high school to the NBA decades before James did it, believes Cleveland’s All-Star should follow his heart.

“He should go where he thinks he’ll be happy,” said one of the most powerful dunkers in league history. “Make the right decision for your family and get as much money as you can. If he leaves Cleveland, basketball as we know it here is going to go down. They have to do what they can to keep here. I would like to see him stay in Cleveland, but he has to do what is right for him.”

As James and his entourage made their way back to their vehicles, he offered one handshake and yelled “Hey, homey!” at a young fan screaming his name. James and his girlfriend, Savannah Brinson, then climbed into a Range Rover.

But before they left, one fan got the superstar’s attention.

Walking up the hill alongside James’ SUV, Greg Poulin of Sagamore Hills delivered a message on the minds of Cavaliers fans everywhere.

“Stay in Cleveland, my man,” Poulin told James, who nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Later as he and his wife, Katie, tried to soothe their crying son, Max, before their trip home, Poulin said it was important for him to reach out to James.

“I just wanted to say what I had to say to him, which was, ‘Stay in Cleveland, don’t leave’,” said Poulin, wearing a wine-colored Cavs shirt. “I don’t think he knows what he’s going to do yet, but I think he’s going to stay. The King can’t leave his people.”

[Sisk]

This guy is feeding off of this shit.. it's pathetic and the epitome of narcissism.

[BRHornet45]

all of this hype for a kid who has never won a damn thing and has none nothing but choke when it counts. amazing.

[quickerblade]

He loves to have people beg for him, i hope he never wins a championship.

[duncan228]

Cavs: The Blog (http://www.cavstheblog.com/?p=2404)

Students from Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Art painted a billboard with a message to LeBron: You are “the heart of it all” in Ohio. Choose Loyalty. The billboard is located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University (Euclid Rd.) next to Thwing, the student union. It is most easily seen from Bellflower Rd. looking south, very close to the Severance Concert Hall. The hope is that this comes across to LeBron somehow, and he remembers the loyal fans in Cleveland when he makes his decision this summer. The artists encourage Clevelanders to make more noise about LeBron staying in Cleveland to stay competitive with NYC, Chicago, and everywhere else.

Billboard.

http://filer.case.edu/exy26/fullSign.jpg

With the kids that painted it.

http://filer.case.edu/exy26/signWithArtists.jpg

http://filer.case.edu/exy26/signWithBabyPowder.jpg

[duncan228]

:lol

Iron Chef ready to serve LeBron (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-mealsforlebron)
By Tom Withers

One of the Cavaliers’ most famous fans is hoping the way to LeBron James’ heart is through his stomach.

Cleveland native Michael Symon, one of Food Network’s Iron Chefs, has offered to go to James’ house once a month and cook a meal for the MVP’s family and friends if he re-signs as a free agent with the Cavaliers. Symon posted a letter to James on his Facebook page.

Symon thanked James for all he has done for the city and urged him to follow his heart when making his decision. Symon also pointed out that some legendary athletes—Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan — created their legacies primarily with one team.

Symon said he knows “firsthand” that James is a “class act” and he hopes James stays in Cleveland “so I can watch you finish what you started which is something not many people get to do.”

Last season, Symon teamed with the Cavs and opened two eating spots in Quicken Loans Arena.

[Roddy Beaubois]

what. the. fuck.

http://www.nycgo.com/cmonlebron

C'mon Lebron? CMON LEBRON??!!


Fuckin New Yorkers jacking our shit.

[21_Blessings]

:lol

[Roddy Beaubois]

This is beyond pathetic.

I agree. NY just has no shame.

[duncan228]

Bulls fans to Lebron: Come to Chicago (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebron-chicagobillboard)

Bulls fans are taking their sales pitch to LeBron James to another level—like 30 feet off the ground.

The group behind the Web site SendLeBrontoChicago.com (http://sendlebrontochicago.com/) has paid for a billboard in downtown Chicago pleading with “King James” to leave Cleveland for the Windy City.

It reads “Chicago Wants LeBron Unfinished Business,” with the Chicago skyline in the background and “LeBron” in Bulls red. In one corner are six trophies, one for each championship the Bulls won with Michael Jordan leading the way. A seventh trophy—hint, hint—is in another corner.

James is the top prize in a star-studded free agent bonanza that starts next month and the Bulls have enough salary cap room to offer a maximum contract.

SendLeBrontoChicago.com says on its website it may put up a second billboard in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio.

http://sendlebrontochicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/lebronbillboard1-300x224.jpg

[760Spursfan]

Who the fuck cares where he goes!!!!

[duncan228]

Obama: ‘Wonderful’ story if LeBron stays in Ohio (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-obama-lebron)

The president is on the record again about LeBron James— and this time, the people of Cleveland may be happier about it.

President Barack Obama told CNN on Thursday that it would be a terrific story if the basketball superstar stayed with the Cleveland Cavaliers instead of switching teams as a free agent.

Said Obama: “That’s a town that has had some tough times.” The president said it would be a wonderful statement to Cleveland if James said: “I’m going to make a commitment to this city.”

The president stuck to his point that James needs to find a winning situation with a good team and coach.

But he did not gently nudge James toward the Chicago Bulls, Obama’s hometown team, as the president did in an interview last month.

[Höfner]

When's the Dallas area activities?

[duncan228]

LeBron James Will Go on a Massive Free Agency Tour (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-lebronjameswillgoona)
SportingNews

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/tsn/83/fullj.0565100dd3b140c20b3535a00dfeb7fa/tsn-lebronjameswillgoona0.jpg?x=425&y=356&xc=1&yc=1&wc=425&hc=356&q=100&sig=mtQy7Gnuiqb79o_jRlLMVQ--

Certain bands have such devoted followings that their fans will follow them from city to city for an entire summer. The point is to live in the music and experience the love of shared interests and devotion. The point isn’t to listen to the Grateful Dead, or Phish, or another band where heavy amounts of narcotics are involved, but simply to be part of a community.

So far, NBA fans have never been able to follow a player or team around the country and watch a show full of thrilling moments, unchecked egotism, and pyrotechnics. (Yes, I know that road trips exist, but work with me here.)

Thankfully, LeBron James is about to change all that. According to FanHouse’s Sam Amick, the King of Hoops plans to turn his free agent visits into a tour (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/04/source-lebron-james-plans-elaborate-free-agency-tour/) the likes of which we’ve only experienced with musicians:

James, according to the source, is in discussions with Nike to create a new shoe for every visit along his free agent path starting July 1. The shoes would have the date of the visit printed, with James already having scripted his itinerary for the Free Agency Tour 2010.

The source insists that he’ll head for New York first to visit with the Knicks, and then spend time with the Nets. Chicago will be next, with the Bulls hoping he wants to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and become the Windy City’s beloved star. Depending on the level of sustained public interest and the discussions with the teams in the respective cities, James will decide at that point whether to continue on to Miami and possibly Los Angeles to see the Clippers.

That final stop would be Hollywood style in every way, with James simply putting on a show intended to create buzz in yet another big city and maintain the mystery of where he will go. And for what it’s worth, the source expects James to return to the Cavaliers by the time the circus comes to an end.

I can see it now: LeBron disembarks at JFK Airport in New York to see an adoring crowd rivaled only by the Beatles’ first trip to America (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Df-LvrRcEo). Then he performs his own version of Eminem’s "Forever" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDMReUKuApE&feature=related) complete with lyrical changes to reflect his love of the Big Apple. Then rinse, lather, and repeat for each city on the tour.

According to Nike, they will not create shoes for each visit (http://twitter.com/darrenrovell1/statuses/15424323909), but this is ridiculous nonetheless.

My favorite part of this report is probably that James will decide if he’ll continue to Miami and Los Angeles based on "the level of sustained public interest." Presumably, that means he could continue the tour even if he’s already made a decision, turning both destinations into opportunities for ego-stroking rather than any meaningful talks. In that case, will those teams even want him there? Or will they simply want to bask in the glow of his presence?

Not to get too dramatic, but if LeBron turns this tour into a major publicity event, I could see public sentiment shift wildly against him. By all indications, this seems like a terrible idea, one based on egotism rather than any clear perception of what the public wants.

Whatever the case, I wish LeBron luck. But something tells me his management team has misunderstood the public’s demand. Free agent visits should be small studio sessions with other musicians, not giant arena shows.

[TampaDude]

LeBron will stay with the Cavs. Book it.

[duncan228]

Knicks Assemble 'Committee of Friends of the Knicks' to Woo LeBron (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/15/knicks-assemble-committee-of-friends-of-the-knicks-to-woo-lebr/)
By Tom Ziller

I can hear the pitch now.

"We don't have many good players or a high draft pick. We haven't won much in the past decade. Our huge media contingent is impossibly prying and will turn on you after one quarter of bad play. We can only offer less money for fewer years than your current team. In terms of talent, there are probably three or four better options available for you.

"But we have Donald Trump!"

The New York Post reports that the Knicks have created a committee of celebrity fans (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/courted_by_stars_u2qtgaB3PkT1xmhwvgFg5L) to help entice LeBron James to sign with the team this July. Trump is a charter member (of course!), and TV/film stars Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Whoopi "Eddie" Goldberg and Charlie Rose are either on board or will be asked to toss their name in.

The Knicks actually confirmed the committee has been created, and the quote from a Knicks spokesman explaining their raison d'etre is itself a hilarious commentary on the state of NBA free agency.

"We are in the process of assembling a committee of friends of the Knicks who are many of the city's most successful winners and leaders [and] who have thrived in the world's greatest city," spokesman Barry Watkins told The Post.

When describing the city's most successful winners, it's key here that the Knicks don't mention one current Knick. I mean, the logic here -- Chris Rock has built an incredible comedy career, and he lives in NYC, therefore you should live in NYC to reach your full potential -- is maddeningly vapid. I mean, you expect vapid when it's LeBron James, master of the universe, being courted. But still, this is silly. Never mind that LeBron -- the two-time reigning MVP -- is closer to the top of his field than any of the celebs are.

(I'm just upset because this make our organized crime recruitment drive (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/10/the-organized-crime-lebron-james-outreach-effort/) look more prescient than creative.)

[duncan228]

Updated.

Akron throwing party for LeBron James (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebronday)
By Tom Withers

LeBron James’ hometown is throwing him a big party. Nobody knows if it’s a farewell bash yet—or if he’s even coming.

James’ contributions to Akron will be celebrated on Saturday at “LeBron Appreciation Day,” an event organized by community leaders to show the local superstar how much he is loved as he approaches NBA free agency on July 1.

Organizers said James is aware of the event, but don’t know if he’ll attend.

A message seeking comment about a possible appearance by James was left with his publicist.

The three-hour rally will be held at InfoCision Stadium on the University of Akron’s campus, across from Rhodes Arena, where James played as a high school star and where he accepted his second straight MVP award last month.

The city’s free celebration for James will feature family friendly activities, sky divers, bands and a LeBron look-a-like contest. The award-winning documentary “More Than A Game,” which chronicles James’ rise to fame and his bond with four childhood friends, will be shown.

James will be presented with the first annual Akron Hometown Hero Award to honor “the dynamic and positive impact he has had on the Akron community.” James has held a charity bike-a-thon in his hometown for several years and has donated time and money to help other children’s programs.

All the LeBron-related hoopla comes less than two weeks before James becomes a free agent. The 25-year-old recently said that Cleveland has “an edge” to re-sign him, but James is expected to entertain offers from several teams including Chicago, New York and New Jersey.

James has kept a relatively low profile since the Cavs were knocked out of the playoffs by Boston. He did a sit-down interview with Larry King and made an appearance at a Cleveland event, but has mostly stayed out of the limelight in the weeks leading up to free agency.

[duncan228]

Updated.

LeBron makes dramatic appearance at Akron rally (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebronday)
By Tom Withers

LeBron James turned his big bash into a surprise party.

With thousands of hometown fans already gone or leaving “LeBron Appreciation Day” on Saturday, James stunned everyone by walking through a side gate into nearly empty InfoCision Stadium on the University of Akron’s campus— after the event officially ended.

As fans screamed and pushed to get closer to the two-time NBA MVP, James, who lives a short drive from the school, made his way down to the playing field. James was then presented with a gorgeous crystal trophy, which had to be pulled out of a box after being packed away.

“Akron is my home, it’s my life,” James told the crowd after accepting the city’s first Hometown Hero Award. “Everything I do is for this city. I’m going to continue to do great things. I love every last one of you all. Akron is home.”

James was then escorted through a door to the football team’s locker room and waved to fans before disappearing almost as quickly as he arrived.

Before James’ shocking entrance, nearly 4,000 fans celebrated all things LeBron.

They came to honor the local kid, who has put Akron on the map but who will soon decide if he wants to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers or sign with another team. James has remained noncommittal about his future, and is not expected to address his plans before free agency begins on July 1.

The 25-year-old did not commit to organizers that he would be at the event, which was sponsored by local businesses and the city. He did not address free agency during his 10-minute stay, his second public appearance since his season ended with a second-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.

James and his agent, Leon Rose, recently met with Cavs officials and have been in communication with the team throughout the offseason.

While making plans to attempt to re-sign James, the team is also in the midst of a coaching search. Earlier this week, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo turned down an offer to coach Cleveland, saying one of the reasons was the uncertainty about James’ future.

The Cavs have had contact with other candidates and hope to interview former New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott.

For a while, the closest thing to a James sighting was Danny Hopkins, a 27-year-old from Akron who won a LeBron-look-alike contest.

“People always come up to me and say, ‘Hey you look like LeBron,” Hopkins said. “I can’t help it.”

During the one-hour ceremony, fans listened to proclamations from city leaders and watched a video message from Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, a former Cavs ballboy who revealed that he keeps a LeBron James bobblehead on his office desk in Columbus.

“Everyone in the state of Ohio wants you to be a Cavalier forever,” Tressel said. “We have great things we can do down the road and we can’t do them without you.”

Hundreds of fans waited on a line snaking around the stadium before the gates opened at 10 a.m. Once inside, they received free T-shirts commemorating the event and watched “More Than A Game,” a documentary about James and four childhood friends on the stadium’s scoreboard.

Several fans sported James’ No. 23 jersey and there were signs pleading with him to re-sign with the Cavs, who can offer James more money than any other team on a maximum contract.

Ken Metz brought a home-made flag with the word “Hope” spray painted on it.

“There’s no way he can leave,” Metz, a 19-year-old from Parma, Ohio, said as he surveyed the crowd. “It’s all here for him. He built his empire here.”

For some in the crowd, the thought of saying goodbye to James is hard to fathom.

“We have watched him grow up,” said Krista Stakleff, who came with her brother, Brandon. “You just feel like he is family. You don’t want to see him go.”

[Armando]

Like James will really play for Donald Sterling

[Amarelooms]

He's going to stay in Cleveland. Bosh will go to NYC maybe with Johnson. Wade is staying in Miami and Amare might join him. Cuban better be trying to trade Damps contract for the best player available.

:elephant

[Kevin Durant 35]

He's going to stay in Cleveland. Bosh will go to NYC maybe with Johnson. Wade is staying in Miami and Amare might join him. Cuban better be trying to trade Damps contract for the best player available.

:elephant

No way LeBron will stay with the Cavs unless they get a really good coach and get another star on the team.

[duncan228]

Baseball team offers LeBron max contract (http://lebron-james-watch.si.com/2010/06/21/baseball-team-offers-lebron-max-contract/)
LeBron James Watch (http://lebron-james-watch.si.com/)
SI.com

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any weirder … it did. The Lake Erie Crushers decided to one-up the Lake County Captains (http://lebron-james-watch.si.com/2010/06/20/indians-minor-league-team-changes-name-for-lebron/) by planning to offer The King a maximum contract under Frontier League rules on “Keep LBJ in the C-L-E Night” next week.

The offer is worth a whopping $1,600 a month and will include a host family so the NBA superstar won’t have the “stress of a potential commute” from the Akron.” Also available will be a luxury suite, because that’s how ballers roll.

The Crushers will wear Cavaliers-themed jerseys June 30 and each player will wear No. 6 to honor James’ switch from No. 23. The team is renaming its park LeBron James Field at All Pro Freight Stadium for the game.

The best part: Anyone named LeBron gets free tickets. Since when did minor league baseball become so … awesome?

http://silebronwatch.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/lebron2.jpg?w=298&h=200
The Laker Erie Crushers will don new unis on June 30. (LakeErieCrushers.com)

[boston.balla]

lebron should get is ho ass to ny:

1) he can media whore at a whole new level
2) first billionaire athlete
3) can put up xbox stats

Fuck rings and all that shit.